


I'll Be There For You

by susiephalange



Category: The Fault in Our Stars - John Green
Genre: Angst, F/M, Female!Reader - Freeform, Fluff, bookstore
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-21
Updated: 2016-05-21
Packaged: 2018-06-09 17:58:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,471
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6917431
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/susiephalange/pseuds/susiephalange
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After growing up and apart from Isaac, you find out from Augustus Waters of the turn of events that have affected your friend; for better...and for worse. So what's a best friend gotta do?</p>
            </blockquote>





	I'll Be There For You

**Author's Note:**

> (✿◠‿◠) the world needs more Isaac stories.

You and Isaac had history.

Not that kind of history - the real kind. The friendship and childhood memories kind of history with the images of every event slowly turning sepia in your minds.

Your mother had known his, and both gave birth in the span of hours, Isaac coming first by eight hours.

He would never let you forget it.

As children, you used to play in the sandbox until the fateful age you learned that the contents weren't for eating, and after that, you learned the definition of video games - the explosions and raw graphics that got better over time - and continually played the fictional universes until both pairs of yours and his thumbs ached from being overworked.

And then, a few years after that, not too long after puberty hit the both of you, hard, you learned a new word - cancer.

When Isaac's eye was removed, you faithfully stayed by his side, the friend you were: making the usual horrible jokes friends do, always aching to make his day by a smile. After the surgery, though, you watched him begin to branch out with a new crowd; those kids from the cancer Support Group.

Hazel Lancaster and Augustus Waters and such; even his girlfriend, Monica, got more of his time than you. But you didn't notice the branching out of Isaac, the slipping away - but it got to you, Komodo dragon bacteria in the system, killing you softly.

Slowly.

And then it was another day at work, ad for a Sunday in a bookstore, it was uncommonly bustling. You were stacking the shelves, and having done the tacky romance novels and the classic tales, you started the young adult sector.

It was also then you heard your name, and not from your boss.

You turned, half expecting to see some creep who had read your badge, but were momentarily shocked to see Gus Waters.

"Can I help you?" you wondered mechanically. The routine question.

Up close, you could see the completely characteristic charm that the famous Augustus Waters had been known for - and you knew after a second the tales weren't wrong at all.

Hazel was a lucky girl.

"Twofold, actually," he grinned, "if that's okay." After you nodded, he added, "first off, I'm looking for a copy of 'An Imperial Affliction'. A present for someone."

You smiled to yourself - you loved that cancer book. It was amazing, and had gotten to you more than any other work of fiction ever created in the world. Sisyphus the hamster had been your favourite character, and the ending -

Hazel had gotten you hooked to it, ever since she came back with her Mom to get another copy, as her original was in pieces, she'd read it so much.

"It's right here," you turned to the shelves and plucked the perfectly priced paperback from the pile, and handed it to Augustus. "And the second question?"

His smile faltered. "It's more of a request, ______," he started. "I heard you used to be a friend of Isaac's."

You paused, and regaining your quietly broken composure, you confirmed, "Yeah, I was, Augustus. I fell out of the loop, though. I don't think he'll remember me. It was easily years ago."

A tad more of a smile pulled onto his lips, and Augustus added, "it was Hazel's idea, if this plan isn't a go," he laid plausible blame before continuing, "I hope to Van Houten that he remembers you, ______, you're kind of like a beacon at sea at the moment."

Your breath was caught in your throat. "Is it back again?"

Augustus shook his head. "It came and went. He's officially NEC by the doctors, but...now he's..."

Your stomach dropped. "He's -,"

"Blind." Augustus winced, deadpanning. "Sorry to break it to you this way, ______. Hazel thought - and I agree - that you're the only one to get him out of his eternal disparity."

If you had been holding anything, it would have long fallen to the floor.

"You want me to see if I can make him feel better? About being blind?"

Augustus sighed, and added, "Monica dumped him, too. You could say he's in a bad place."

"I'll help him," you pledged.

You were his oldest friend. You'd do your best.

"Thanks, ______." Augustus grinned, and as he went off to pay for his book, you barely noticed his limp, you were so focused on what had just happened.

The rest of the hours of your shift trickled by, each slower than the previous, but at last you were out and texting your mother that you'd be doing stuff.

Going out for a bit, don't wait up for me. - ______

Really? What happened to family night, ______? - Mom

You groaned, and replied,

I'm going to hang out with Isaac. Jeeze, Mom. - ______

Totally okay! I'll pick you up at six - Mom

You knew the way to Isaac's place from anywhere, and running, you made it to his familiarly dilapidated front door, and knocked. Your breath was caught in your throat and feet burned from pounding the asphalt and you knew your cheeks were red hot from the exertion.

When his mother answered the door, you blinked, "______," she breathed, "I haven't seen you for a while."

You bobbed your head solemnly. "I heard about Isaac," you had to take a deep breath from running across town, "Could I -,"

"Go in," his mother stepped back, letting you in. "Shout if you need anything."

Just like the old times.

As you perused the familiar hallways, you could hear Isaac's little brother Graham engrossed by whatever program was showing on the television - "Hey ______!" He called out - but momentarily ignoring Graham, you made it to Isaac's room, the familiar plain door embellished with only a dilapidated post it note that had the word always messily scrawled onto the yellow paper.

And you knocked.

"Go away, Graham," you heard him, your friend Isaac growl.

You cleared your throat. "It's not Graham," you began, "it's, uh, ______."

There was a pause.

Then, "come in."

There was a few things you noticed as you entered the room you had practically grown up in. The blinds were down, lights off. The posters on the walls had changed over the time you had been apart from Isaac - the Toy Story had been traded for X-Men - and you saw - barely, in the shades of grey of shadows he was swathed inside - in the chair underneath the shades, Isaac.

"Hello, ______." He greeted, almost stiffly.

You flipped the lights on, and sat at the edge of his bed. "Augustus Waters, that guy from Support Group, told me to come," you started, "He told me -,"

"He just made the top of my hit list, then," Isaac murmured.

You frowned. "What? No, no, Isaac, I'm not here to give you sympathy. Everyone's probably done it already and sympathy sucks. Being kind doesn't bring back, you know, the gift of sight."

Isaac sat straighter. "This is new," his lip pulled up at once side, "I missed your bluntness, ______."

You looked to your hands. "I - I was told also what happened...with Mon. And I know you're going to do a tough act but I know how much you guys were in love. I was there for half of it."

"_______," Isaac began, "I don't need this speech again."

You closed your eyes, and were shocked to find tears there to greet you. Your breath was hitched when you spoke, "Damn it, Isaac, I'm your friend. A lousy one, looking at it, but I'm still your friend. I'm still supposed to do the stuff family can't do, what strangers won't ever be able."

"________ -,"

"I'm supposed to keep you cancer free and happy and not blind and make sure you're not holed up in your room with nobody to talk to. Augustus was worried enough to come to me, Isaac, and he's one of your newer friends. Seriously." You felt the cool tears slip down your face and onto your lap.

You heard a shuffle and felt a stray hand on your knee. Looking up, you realised Isaac had risen from his perch, and was beside you. Slowly, cautiously, an arm wrapped around your shoulders.

"It doesn't work the wants to sometimes in life, you know - I'm an example of it," he spoke quite sagaciously, "You can't just make all better by being a good friend."

You sniffed. "But, Isaac, I'll be there for you. From now on. For ever. I promise. I'll practically live at your place. I'd hate it if I was you -,"

You were interrupted by a hand on your face, and suddenly, you felt yourself guided to meet his lips. Even without the sight, Isaac could still do the kissing thing quite well.

"I'll be there for you too, _______." He vowed.

**Author's Note:**

> If you have any requests, find me on Tumblr at @susiephalange, or [@phalangewrites](https://phalangewrites.tumblr.com/request_conditions) ʕ·ᴥ·ʔ✿


End file.
